Norway versus Best and the Rest

Alutrint has paid for two Norwegian experts to come to Trinidad to tell us that smelters in Norway are safe. Right. Let us see what our own experts in the field of economics, science, medicine and politics have been saying over the last eight years.

Dr Lloyd Best called smelters a “major mistake”. In June 2004, Curtis Williams reported: “Best was concerned the country was allowing its resources to be used in a smelter with little return to the country.”

PROFESSOR JOHN SPENCE, UWI Professor, former senator, columnist: “My conclusion is definitely, that we should not smelt bauxite or alumina in Trinidad. This is based on the social, health, environmental, economic and governance issues.” (April 2006)

PROFESSOR JULIAN KENNY, former senator and UWI Professor. In newspapers articles dating back to 2004, Professor Kenny has condemned smelter as a threat to biodiversity, the ecology of the South Western Peninsula, our health, and to prudent land use planning. “And where will the wastes go in this country of 260 persons per square kilometer? Not near Port of Spain and certainly not near San Fernando East. Fluorides? Spent pot liners? Anodes? Solid wastes?” (June 2005).

PROFESSOR DENNIS PANTIN, UWI Professor and columnist.  Smelter should be rejected if there is no information on: “alternative uses of the natural gas inputs, the land space in … La Brea relative to alternative uses of the gas, land space and other human and financial costs which the society would have to incur: all based on full disclosure to the ultimate shareholders: i.e. the citizens, residents and taxpayers of T&T.”  No Cost Benefit Analysis or Account Sheet on Alutrint has been given to the Parliament or Public after six years.

PROFESSOR SELWYN RYAN, UWI Professor and columnist: “One wonders whether Williams would now insist in building the smelter on the terms that are apparently being considered and which do not seem to be of much benefit to Trinidad and Tobago.” (July 2006)

MARY KING, Economist, former Senator and Head, Joint Select Committee of Parliament, established to consider the proposed aluminum smelter: “Nothing has come to the Parliament and little to the general public which defines and justifies the creation of an aluminum industry with respect to the feasibility and optimum use of our diminishing natural gas reserves, its impact on the environment, the levels of earnings from the sale of gas and a comparison with the longer uses to which this gas can be put in the context of Peak Oil.” (May, 2006). In September 2009, Ms King rejected Alutrint outright at a symposium on the Economics of Alutrint. She gave seven reasons why Alutrint is an economic bust.

REG POTTER, International Gas Analyst. “It will take discoveries of 1.5 trillion cubic feet per year to simply stand still and at present we have only 12 years of gas production rate left. The time is passed due for a total moratorium on all new gas-related projects before the country is totally ruined.”  (July 2006)

MARTIN DALY, Attorney, columnist. “If we install an Emperor and the Emperor is for smelter, we the people will be the waste.” (August, 2002).

WILLIAM LUCIE-SMITH, Accountant. Retired Senior Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers, T&T, columnist. On smelter: “ Thousands of acres of rural habitat are destroyed, there are serious pollution and health risks, the local population seems to be against it…” (July 2006).

DR STEVE SMITH, Medical Doctor, former President of the Medical Board: “The potential environmental onslaught that will occur, in the wake of the construction of an aluminum smelter in the South West Peninsula of this country, constitutes the single most significant threat to gains achieved through advances in “public health” during my own lifetime.” (July 2007).

Ms Yvonne Ashby, Retired Nurse of 40 years. No Smelter. Smelters show that the authorities have, “sold the people for a pot of filthy lucre.” (2006)

And the leaders of the UNC, the COP, the NJAC?

KAMLA PERSAD-BISSESSAR. UNC leader, former Attorney General: “I made it clear today that a UNC Government would take into account the wishes of the people with respect to the PNM’S “done deal” smelters and terminate any deal that they have made in the absence of meaningful dialogue with the communities and transparent accounting to the people of this nation.” (October, 2006). In 2009, a letter was sent by UNC-led Public Accounts Committee of Parliament to the Acting Auditor General enquiring after Alutrint’s accounts. No Accounts.

WINSTON DOOKERAN, COP leader, Economist, former Governor of the Central Bank: “Giving away our gas for these [aluminum] projects is really giving away our patrimony. Is this really the best way to use a very finite resource?” (June 2006).

MAKANDAL DAGGA, NJAC leader. No Smelter. Smelter is ruinous to our economy, our resources and our lands, peoples and communities.

All this information by our own experts was given for free.  No plane tickets. No Hyatt accommodation.  No stipend for police, Special Branch, body guards. No CEPEP overtime. No money for jersey and bus. No chubby and beef-pie for La Brea people.  No lunches and hotel rentals for big-time attendees. No media ads. No glossy bulletin. Were these Norwegians paid for their views on Norway smelters? How would we know? No Alutrint Account sheet.

Wayne Kublalsingh

University of the West Indies